1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus to which an external memory, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory or a memory card, for example, can be attached, and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent times, a multi-function peripheral (MFP), which is a type of image forming apparatus possessing such functions as a printer function, a copy function, a fax function, and a scanner function, is widely used in venues such as offices. An MFP has been proposed with a connector to which a USB memory or a memory card, i.e., a removable medium, which can be used via a common standard that is shared with another peripheral, can be attached. The MFP is capable of extracting and printing or faxing information that is stored in the removable medium that is plugged into the connector. It would also be possible to save image data that is obtained by the MFP's scanner into the attached removable medium. A very high degree of functional usability is thus achieved, because it is possible to store the image data into the removable medium without having to resort to a personal computer or other device.
If, after carrying out a function on the MFP that relates to the removable medium, however, a user fails to remove the removable medium that is inserted into the connector of the MFP, another user may come into possession of the information that is stored on the medium. Consequently, a countermeasure against the forgetting to remove the removable medium is necessary.
A method has been proposed of preventing the removable medium being left in place in an image forming apparatus that prints the information from the attached removable medium. For example, a stored data output apparatus has been proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-107376 that determines whether the removable medium is attached when a command is inputted such as a copy command, and if the medium is attached, prohibits an operation corresponding to the command that has been inputted. It would also be possible for the stored data output apparatus to alert the user that the removable medium remains attached thereto.
The stored data output apparatus that possesses the function that alerts the user that the removable medium remains attached thereto, however, does not restrict the recipient of the alert to the owner of the medium. It is possible that, when the removable medium is attached, the notification that the medium is still attached may be issued to a user other than the owner of the medium. Accordingly, the risk that as the information on the removable medium is exposed to a user other than the owner of the medium increases by issuing the alert that the medium has not been removed. The conventional technology thus provides an inadequate countermeasure against leaving the removable medium in place.